Misery

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I am 32 years old. I live in Britain. I have Aspergers Syndrome. I am hypersentive to noise and movement.

Examples being:

The noises that things make in my bedroom and other parts of the house when they expand and contract due to air pressure (eg the chest of draws and the cabinet. Both made of wood).

The noise of cars going along the street that I live nearby (engines and I'm guessing here, the noises of tyres against tarmac).

The noise of newspapers and receipts and other types of paper.

The noise of my dad's voice and other noises from his mouth.

The noises of the dining room door being opened and closed. Something to do with the locking mechanism.

The noises don't make me feel right. The noises are stopping me thinking. The noises are stopping me being able to get on with my life. The noises make me confused. I feel like a sad case. I don't like being like this.

My parents are concerned for me. There are times when I feel like killing myself because the noises make me feel s***.

I have tried ear plugs, ear protectors, theraputic listenings CDs. I have seen an ear specialist at Cambridge but he hasn't been able to help me. I have tried sound generators but nothing.

I am trying breathing exercises to see if they can help with the hypersentivity to noise and movement.

I spends my days doing nothing.

I have been struggling for most of the decade. The hypersensitivity has been worse since 2004. I was diagnosed with AS in 2003.

There are times when I wonder if the tablets that I have been taking for another health problem have caused the hypersentivity.

My mum has suggested voluntary work to try and help me as I am stuck at home because of the noises, but privately I think this would be unwise.

I am concerned about living by myself. I can see this ending in despair and suicide.

I hate this hypersentivity, it is stopping me.

There are times when I feel I will have to go into a care home.

I know this is just personal testimonial, but have also read many similar accounts ; i find that i am significantly, even dramatically, less sensitive to noise when i cut out gluten. Wheat, rye, oats; completely cut them out.

The first time i ever went on an exclusion diet, 15 years ago, ( i cut out gluten, dairy, sugar, and animal products for a week) it was like i went from living in an airport, next to a building site, over a nightclub, under a shopping centre, next to a motorway, to being in the mountains, in 3 days. Peace. It was like a miracle! Actually cried it was so wonderful.

I still hear/am aware of very small noises, just like i smell very faint smells, but it doesn't freak me out so much, if at all. I am heaps more calm. The awful noisy jabbering effect in my head stops within 3-4 days of cutting gluten out. I no longer get hysterical or so overwhelmed by it. It's not perfect. But it's better.
It's just my experience. It helps me.

Good luck!

I don't know anything about medications and sensory integration/processing issues , but i imagine it is not impossible that it may be a factor. I totally know what that sensitivity feels like though, all those noises you list. I have freaked because of vibration from a radio which couldn't even hear the treble of. etc etc !

Certain vibrations go against the fibre of your being. I know I have this too. 3 things help - One - earplugs. There are many types. I found that the waxy kind are the ones that go the deepest and shut out the most noise. Two - calmative agents - whatever your preference - herbal or pharmaceutical. There's just so much one can take before going bonkers. The calmative will take the edge off the anxiety. Three - Gotu kola - has been said to stop the startle response - which is what you have. Check all these out - and this is a must - so will call it 4 - go out in nature and connect with sounds that you DO love - birds, wind, silence.

This blog has some good advice about Ayruvedic nutirition - you want to watch the processed foods as well - http://www.revolutionhealth.com/blogs/d ... ral-health

mzero,
have tried wearing soft earplugs under ear defenders?
They're both not great on their own but together they do offer decent protection against a lot of noises-not perfect but do help to deal with it better.
The problem with wearing ear protection all/a lot of the time is it reduces tolerance for noise,which adds to the problem.


It sounds like it could be being made worse by hyperacusis,which is a common comorbid of AS and autism that features reduced tolerance to noise,have a look at the article here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperacusis

And meds can mess with hearing,have a look at the side effects of it on a medicine site.
When am was on a high dose of regular release tegretol in 2000,it caused a speeding up and slowing down effect in hearing and messed with pitch,but with the long release type all the side effects went away.

Also, have you ever tried acupuncture? It is being studied, and has been found to help us with some of our symptoms.

Welcome to WP!

Tim

Do you get out of the house for any activities? I kind of agree with your mother. If you could find some volunteer work or something else for your brain to think about, you will find it easier to relax. It sounds like you're going stir crazy in the house.

My son has less problems when he's getting adequate exercise. Tire the body out to relax the mind.